Bloomie goes indie: non-partisan a trend?

A break from marketing to talk politics (but the non-partisan kind). If you haven't heard, NYC Mayor Bloomberg has left the G.O.P. and gone independent. Bloomberg--who was a long-time Democrat and switched to the Republican party to run for mayor in 2001--has done well by our city and I think this move sends a strong message about issues over parties. (Do hope the message doesn't fall on deaf ears.)

Thought you folks might enjoy the text of his speech:

"I have filed papers with the New York City Board of Elections to change my status as a voter and register as unaffiliated with any political party. Although my plans for the future haven’t changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our city.

A nonpartisan approach has worked wonders in New York: we’ve balanced budgets, grown our economy, improved public health, reformed the school system and made the nation’s safest city even safer.

We have achieved real progress by overcoming the partisanship that too often puts narrow interests above the common good. As a political independent, I will continue to work with those in all political parties to find common ground, to put partisanship aside and to achieve real solutions to the challenges we face.

Any successful elected executive knows that real results are more important than partisan battles and that good ideas should take precedence over rigid adherence to any particular political ideology. Working together, there’s no limit to what we can do."

Yeah, there's speculation galore about plans for the presidency but, personally speaking, it's a good day in NY. Full article here.

Comments

[Paul McEnany]

oh man, do I hope he doesn't run. I'm all for breaking the two party system, but he could sure screw up some democratic hopefuls at a time we can't afford it...

[CK]

@Paul: Oddly, several of the articles have speculated that if he does run, it splits the Republican votes, not the ones of the Dems.

[Mario Sundar]

I'm as concerned as Paul, CK. Given Bloomberg's liberal stripes (at least until '01), I think the democrats will have far more to lose than the republicans.

Basically, the vote will split with whichever party his ideology aligns most with and I'm thinking it'd be w/ the democrats given the fact that he's moved away from the republican party.

Not another Nader. Not again!

[Cam Beck]

Question: Does the essence of Bloomberg change because of the existence or absence of a party label?

[CK]

@Cam: Don't believe the essence changes, no. But then again he has been working with both parties to get stuff done here. I was skeptical when he first took office (I always am when someone changes their parties as he did pre-election) and he's not your regular "politican" (which is good). All told, it's sending a message to his disappointment with the GOP...and of course paving the way to a (potential) run.

[Cam Beck]

I wonder what this means to his relationship with Rudy, since it was his blessing that Bloomy secured the mayorship at all.

Their philosophies aren't that different, but Rudy appears to be, at least, a "loyal" Republican, for whatever that's worth.

Do you know if he accepted any money from the GOP to aid in his election?

[CK]

@Cam: Yup, Rudy's blessing was his ticket in, no question--and we all await Rudy's response to this. As for GOP money, don't know--I believe his campaign was self-financed as he's so monied up and I understand his mayoral salary goes to some cause or something (cuz he's so monied-up) but don't quote me on those. I think you'd like the way he runs this city. He once told Barb Walters (I think Barb) that he wouldn't want to run for prez as NYC mayor was the one job with all the power to effect change. We'll see if he sticks to that ;-).

He's certainly ruffled feathers on both sides in office, and he can be snippy, but he's focused.

[CK]

@Mario: I hear ya, I like the idea of a campaign with a strong woman and a strong independent in the race (I just want to see those "bold moves" a thing of the past and not so extraordinary) but I sure don't want it to negate votes (like with Nadar). In any case, it's gonna be an interesting race.

[Lewis Green]

I have never registered as either a Republican or a Democrat. I have voted, however, since 1966 and mostly for Independents, with the exception of a few bright party candidates. Here's my take: First a Democrat, then a Republican, now an Independent = no personal philosophy and little commitment to values, just a yen to get elected.

[CK]

@Lew: Could be little commitment to values, could be that he changed his mind...or that the party changed and it doesn't reflect him anymore. Or, to your point, maybe he has little commit to values. But you might want to look into what he's done on a number of bi-partisan fronts (education, health) before we just look at titles of left or right. I'm just not going to say that an accomplished man like Bloomberg has no personal philosophy--I actually think there are far worse choices for prez than him (tho' I'm not certain he'd get my vote if he did/does run). I guess time will tell on all.

[Tangerine Toad]

@CK: Really? Times seemed pretty convinced that Bloomberg would hurt the Dems the most. He's a social liberal, so he takes votes away from other social liberals.

Though I wonder if the world west of the Hudson is ready for a short divorced Jewish billionaire with a pronounced Boston accent.

[CK]

@Toad: When he first announced it, I was watching CNN; they were speculating he could take Repub votes--and saying not to assume it will all be Dem votes. I can see him taking votes from both sides. He's got the corporate savvy of running it as a biz for the republicans and he's got liberal leanings for the dems. He might be the Jewish candidate to breakthrough and I like the idea of a strong female and a strong indie in the race (tho' I shouldn't assume Hillary will take the primary).

[Tangerine Toad]

He's definitely hit on a demographic: All of David Brooks' BoBos, who are very socially liberal but were so scarred by Jimmy Carter and his ilk that they have trouble voting for someone without a strong business sensibility.
Enter Bloomberg.